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Venomous Snakes of Nepal Venomous Snakes of Nepal A photographic guide S.K. Sharma, D.P. Pandey, K.B. Shah, F. Tillack, F. Chappuis, C.L. Thapa, E. Alirol & U. Kuch If you are bitten by a snake 1. Don't panic. Most snakes are not dangerous, and even those that are dangerously venomous often do not inject venom when they bite a person. 2. Don't risk further bites or delay appropriate treatment by attempting to search, capture or kill the snake. However, if the snake is already killed, it should be carried safely along with the patient to the treatment centre for identification. 3. Immobilize the bitten limb with a splint or sling and keep it still. 4. Don't run. If possible, let others carry you immediately (preferably by motor vehicle) to the nearest health centre where anti-snake venom serum is available. Using a motorcycle will help to save time. 5. Don't cut, burn or suck the bite site or the bitten body part. 6. Don't use herbs, chemicals, ice/cool packs or electric shocks. olb tkfO{nfO{ ;k{n] 8;]sf] 5 eg] !_ xtf]T;fxLt gx'g'xf];, ;fx|} kL/ gug'{xf];, w]/} h;f] ;k{x? ljiffn' x'b}gg\ / cem} eGg] xf] eg] vt/gfs ljiffn' ;k{x?n] klg dflg;nfO{ 8;]sf] v08df k|foM cfˆgf] ljif 8;]sf] 7fpFdf k;fpFb}gg\ . @_ ;k{nfO{ ;dfpg jf dfg{ vf]h]/ csf]{ 8;fO{sf] vt/f gdf]Ng'xf];\ / ;k{nfO{ vf]h]]/ pko'Qm pkrf/sf] nflu l9nf gug'{xf];\ . olb ;k{nfO{ cl3g} dfl/;lsPsf] 5 eg], To;sf] klxrfgsf] nflu d/]sf] ;k{nfO{ lj/fdL;Fu} pkrf/s]Gb|df ;'/lIft tj/n] n}hfg'xf];\ . #_ ;k{b+z ePsf] xft–v'§fnfO{ Pp6f …:KnLG6Ú jf …:nLËÚsf] ;xfotfn] crn agfpg'xf];\ / To;nfO{ :yL/ /fVg'xf];\ . $_ gbf}8g'xf];\ . tkfO{nfO{ c? s;}n] tTsfn} -vf;u/L df]6/uf8Laf6_ k|ltljif -ljif k|lt/f]wfTds cf}iflw_ pknAw x'g] glhs}sf] :jf:Yo s]Gb|df n}hfg nufpg'xf];\ . df]6/;fOsnsf] k|of]un] ;do arfpg ;xof]u ug]{ 5 . %_ ljiffn' ;k{n] 8;]sf] 7fpFdf sf6\g], r':g] / cfuf]n] 8fDg] sfd gu{g'xf];\ . ^_ hl8a'l§x?, /;folgs kbfy{x?, j/km÷lr;f] kf]sfx? jf lah'nLsf] em6\sf nufP/ pkrf/ ug]{ sfd gu{g'xf];\ . &_ 8;]sf] 7fpFaf6 /utnfO{ s'g} oGqsf] ;xfotfn] tfGg] ug'{ x'Fb}g . *_ k|f/lDes cj:yfdf v';f{gL vfP/ ;k{n] 8;]sf] yfxf x'Fb}g, o;n] t k]6 kf]n]/ pkrf/df emg afwf k'¥ofpF5 . (_ s'v'/fsf] dnåf/ 8;]sf] 7fpFdf nufpFbf ljif r':5 eGg] wf/0ff unt xf] . Venomous Snakes of Nepal A PHOTOGRAPHIC GUIDE S.K. SHARMA, D.P. PANDEY, K.B. SHAH, F. TILLACK, F. CHAPPUIS, C.L. THAPA, E. ALIROL & U. KUCH with additional photographs by H.S. Bawaskar, A. Captain, M.A.W. Chowdhury, S. Dalvi, W. Grossmann, A. Gumprecht, V.K. Mistry, N.L. Orlov, H.H. Schleich, S. Thakur, D.A. Warrell Authors Prof. Sanjib Kumar Sharma, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (Dharan, Nepal) Mr. Deb Prasad Pandey, Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (Frankfurt am Main, Germany) Prof. Karan Bahadur Shah, Natural History Museum, Tribhuvan University (Kathmandu, Nepal) Mr. Frank Tillack, Museum für Naturkunde (Berlin, Germany) Prof. François Chappuis, Geneva University Hospitals (Geneva, Switzerland) Dr. Chhabilal Thapa, Sindhuli District Hospital (Sindhuli, Nepal) Dr. Emilie Alirol, Geneva University Hospitals (Geneva, Switzerland) Dr. Ulrich Kuch, Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (Frankfurt am Main, Germany), e-mail: [email protected] Published by B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences Dharan, Nepal First edition, February 2013 © by the authors The role of the Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal/Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Nepal in providing financial support for the publication of this book is gratefully acknowledged. The technical support provided by Mr. Dandi Ram Bishwakarma, Senior Program Officer (Swiss Embassy/SDC) and Mr. Mamit Rai (Snake Bite Project, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan) during the publication process of this book is highly appreciated. The material in this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form without prior written permission from the copyright holders. This book is a non-commercial, not for profit publication. Its sale or other commercial distribution is not allowed. Free electronic copies of this book may be downloaded from the web site of the Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F) via the following link: http://tinyurl.com/nepalsnakes ISBN number : 978-9937-2-6003-9 Number of copies : 1,500 Designed and printed by : PowerComm, Sanepa, Lalitpur, Phone No. 01-5552987 Cover photo : Spectacled Cobra (Naja naja). Photo by U. Kuch. 7 February 2013 Foreword I am pleased to introduce and welcome this guidebook on the venomous snakes of Nepal. This important new book demonstrates with excellent photographs, the colourful natural beauty and biodiversity heritage represented by – cobras, kraits, coral snakes and vipers. Although snakes are widely recognized as farmers’ friends because they efficiently control rodent populations, their bites also cause immense suffering among the rural populations of South Asia. This is also the case in Nepal where snake bites have always been a great public health concern in the lowlands. However, due to global warming, some venomous snakes of our lowland regions could in the future also cause problems in the hills where people may not yet be prepared for this. Thus, we wish this book to be distributed and used in the entire country. The Government of Nepal through its Ministry of Health and Population has responded to the needs of snake bite patients in Nepal by distributing life-saving anti-snake venom immunoglobulin drugs, free of charge to hospitals and snake bite treatment centres, and by imparting training for health professionals in the country. We are fully committed to continuing and expanding these activities. It is also recognized that several aspects of the prevention and clinical management of snake bite in Nepal requires further investigations and that progress in scientific research on these matters may in the future lead to changes in the guidelines. In this sense, it is our great pleasure to receive this book as another example for the outstanding success of international collaboration between medical doctors and biologists from Nepal, Switzerland and Germany whose tireless efforts have contributed so much to improve our knowledge and treatment of overlooked and neglected snake bite disease. It is our sincere expectation that the diffusion of the information provided in this book will contribute to the environmental and health education of the people and to improve the situation of the snake bite in Nepal. We also express our hope that the publication of this book will increase awareness and stimulate much needed additional scientific research on this subject. (Dr. Praveen Mishra) Secretary Foreword Since ancient times, snakes have been worshipped, feared, or loathed in Nepalese society. Especially cobras appear in many tales and myths and are regarded as sacred in different religions and cultures. Indeed, snakes play a very important role in agriculture, being the best natural controllers of rats and mice and therefore securing harvests and income, and limiting the spread of rodent-borne diseases. Unfortunately, snakes at the same time are also a painful reality in the daily life of millions of villagers in Nepal where envenoming following snake bites is a very common and serious public health problem. Throughout the South Asian region, lack of knowledge about venomous snakes, first aid measures and medical treatment, along with limited access to quality care and specific essential medicines, result in high morbidity and mortality. Here, the Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC present for the first time in Nepal a photographic guidebook that is entirely devoted to the venomous snakes of this country and the important questions of how they can be distinguished from each other and from harmless non-venomous snakes, how bites by such snakes can be avoided, and what can be done to obtain the best treatment result if one is bitten. By sponsoring the publication and distribution of this booklet, prepared by a team of experts from Nepal, Switzerland and Germany, we hope to increase the knowledge of the rich biodiversity of Nepal and the respect for this ecologically, economically and medically important group of animals. Better knowledge of snakes, their distribution, habitats and behaviour, and of practicable ways of preventing their bites, is necessary to reduce the high number of snake bites in Nepal. At the same time, knowing what to do and what not to do after a snake bite is crucial for reducing snake bite morbidity and mortality. Finally, in the snake bite clinic or hospital, knowing which species of snake had caused the bite can play a very important role for treatment decisions. We hope that this book will serve all these purposes. Numerous aspects of the venomous snakes of Nepal, including their geographical distribution and diversity, are still unknown. Almost none of their venoms have been analyzed scientifically, and from some species even not a single proven case of envenoming is known. Hopefully scientific research in this field will be dynamic enough to generate new data soon. Then, in a few years this book may be updated for the benefit of the Nepali people. Thomas Gass Ambassador and SDC Country Director Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal CONTENTS What is a snake? 1 Which other animals look similar to snakes? 1 How many different species of snake are there? 3 Which snakes are dangerous for humans? 3 How can dangerously venomous snakes be distinguished from others? 5 Green snakes 5 Snakes with blotched colour pattern 9 Other snakes that look like vipers 13 Rat snakes and racers 15 Water snakes 17 Wolf and Kukri snakes 18 Uniformly black and brown snakes 20 How many snake species occur in Nepal, and how many of these are dangerous? 23 Kraits, cobras, king cobras and coral snakes (family Elapidae) 23 Bungarus bungaroides 24 Bungarus caeruleus 27 Bungarus fasciatus 29 Bungarus lividus 32 Bungarus niger 34 Bungarus walli 36 Naja naja 38 Naja kaouthia 40 Ophiophagus hannah 42 Sinomicrurus macclellandi univirgatus 44 Venomous Snakes of Nepal A photographic guide Vipers and pit vipers (family Viperidae) 47 Daboia russelii 48 Gloydius himalayanus 50 Himalayophis tibetanus 52 Ovophis monticola 56 Protobothrops sp.
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